Hello

I sometimes look at what I enjoy (and create) now, and think about the various things that inspired me back when I was a child. Whether it’s creepy Call of Cthulhu scenarios, mythic roleplaying in Runequest, writing magical realist dark fantasy fiction, or just enjoying the likes of Rings of Power and Sandman … all […]

A local walk by the River Almond near Mid Calder. I’m blessed to live in an area of Scotland where I have easy access to so many great walks.West Lothian is unique: the county has a real sense of its industrial heritage and its natural beauty existing side by side, creating a compelling harmony of […]

I wrote this story as part of a contest to commemorate Iain Banks, following his sad passing in 2013. Walking On The Bridge (PDF, 270k) Banks was — and remains — one of my favourite authors; I had just started writing fiction semi-seriously. I had to enter. The brief was to take one of the […]

My new Call of Cthulhu scenario has launched! To celebrate, I have a couple of launch offers. You can grab a copy now on DriveThruRPG at 20% off by following this link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?discount=9352623bcf Or, you can get it for 50% OFF by entering your email below. I’ll then send you a link to the 50% […]

My first Call of Cthulhu scenario – The Pharaoh’s Sacrifice – is doing well, having recently become a ’copper best seller’ on DriveThruRPG. As my debut scenario, it is close to my heart and I hope Keepers and players enjoy it and get a good few hours of creepy 1920s entertainment from it. Even before […]

Sometimes, the city looks even better without colour …

Every year at this time, I always reassess what I’m doing creatively, reboot it, and start afresh. This was always prompted by the end of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, that month-long celebration of the arts and creativity in all its shapes and forms. This year, for various reasons, I’ve not gone to anything in the […]

Photos from a walk in the Murieston Trail, in the south of Livingston in West Lothian in Scotland. We’ve been fortunate here in that we have had plenty of rain following the hot weather, meaning the trees, grass and other plants have managed to stay hydrated. There was a sense in the air today, however. […]

Another of my old photography projects I’m thinking of resurrecting and/or using in forthcoming Call of Cthulhu scenarios – Statues of Edinburgh.

A few years ago, I used to review and shoot shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Part of me misses those days, but now I am a little bit older, I’m not sure I could keep up the same pace I used to. Nevertheless, the Fringe did give me my love of circus, cabaret, alternative […]

Researching Edinburgh history for my Call of Cthulhu scenarios set in the city gives me a perfect opportunity to revisit my old ’Ghost Signs of Edinburgh’ photos (and look for more …)

Little did these performers of Edinburgh Festival Fringes past know that one day these photos I took of them would end up being the inspiration for Call of Cthulhu scenario NPCs…